


time (destroys everything)

by takenbynumbers



Series: The Undead and Damned [3]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Post-Dirge of Cerberus (Compilation of FFVII), What-If, my friend the fates are cruel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:56:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29949630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takenbynumbers/pseuds/takenbynumbers
Summary: They're digging around in the Materia Cave when it happens. Vincent comes across an odd orange-red stone, and it's tiny. Barely bigger than his eye.
Relationships: Cloud Strife/Vincent Valentine
Series: The Undead and Damned [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2128965
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	time (destroys everything)

They're digging around in the Materia Cave when it happens. Vincent comes across an odd orange-red stone, and it's tiny. Barely bigger than his eye. Cloud is  _ mesmerized  _ by the glow, but something feels off. 

Vincent taps it with one of his claws and suddenly the cave is filled with orange light and everything goes black. 

Cloud groans when he comes to, laying flat on his back. Sitting up, he rubs the back of his head, blinking blearily. 

"Vincent…?" Spotting him laying like Cloud had been, eyes wide, he thinks  _ fuck.  _ Until Vincent turns his head and looks right at Cloud. 

"Cloud," he breathes, clearing his throat a few times. It sounds...off. Deep and full of warmth, but without that strain Cloud is used to hearing. Not so gravelly. 

It must occur to Vincent as well and he sits up, touching the pale column of his throat under his mantle. Cloud can only watch as some kind of  _ realization  _ dawns on him and Vincent slowly unlatches his gauntlet. C loud has never seen what his arm looks like - has always thought it to be a prosthetic of sorts. What he's not prepared for is the  _ very  _ human arm underneath, long fingers flexing as Vincent gazes at his own arm with wonder. 

"What's...huh?"

Giving him a look of equal puzzlement, Vincent props himself up against a nearby rocky wall and starts to divest himself of his cloak before unbuttoning his bodysuit. It's all too  _ bizarre _ , so out of character that Cloud immediately rushes to his side, kneeling on the cloak. 

"What are you doing?"

Vincent lets out a thoughtful hum and reveals the pale expanse of chest under his clothes, the sharp collarbone that Cloud has only ever seen glimpses of. It's the lack of scarring that makes them both go " _ oh _ !" with a kind of childlike fascination.

"Give me your hand," Vincent says breathlessly and Cloud merely raises it before it's eagerly grabbed, his glove pulled off and palm pressed to Vincent's chest. 

There had been a few moments over the years between them. Cloud falling asleep against Vincent, a gentle kiss pressed to his forehead. Once, he tried to kiss Vincent properly, only to be rebuked - " _ I cannot",  _ had been the whispered apology and Cloud wasn't proud of his outburst. 

" _ Can't or won't?" _

_ "Does it matter? With what I am...who you are...it is better for you to live a more normal life than I can give you." _

_ "Who says I want that?" _

_ "You roam about, but you yearn to settle. You'll find someone who can give you both, Cloud." _

And he hadn't really brought it up since, but he thought Vincent was  _ wrong _ , and gods. How he wanted to hate him for such a heart-wrenching rejection. Instead, Cloud continued to seek out Vincent's company, bracing himself every time for rejection from  _ that _ . But it never came. 

Now, he can feel Vincent’s skin, warm under his touch.

Now, he can feel the steady  _ heartbeat _ . And he can't help but move his hand over Vincent’s shoulder, feeling sharp bone and muscle as he leans in and presses his ear to Vincent's chest.

_ Thud. Thud. Thud.  _

He can hear it speeding up, feels movement above him as hands curl in his hair, holding him in place. Cloud closes his eyes, lulled by the thrum of Vincent  _ living _ . Because he would have loved Vincent with everything he had even  _ before  _ this anomaly but he wonders if that's what was stopping Vincent from letting him do so. 

"It's quiet. In my head. I think…"

"Yeah…" Cloud smiles, grasps Vincent’s shoulder under the fabric and lifts his head up, pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. It’s met with no resistance, and he finally,  _ finally _ gets Vincent’s lips against his. Warm and yielding, hands roaming, they spend a few minutes kissing like they have an eternity to make up for. 

  
  


**You should not be here, Weapon.**

Jerking his head up at the disembodied voice, Cloud sees the similar orange-glow, except it’s surrounding...some kind of being. Hard to tell what exactly it is until it comes into a more corporal form. All flowing tunic and golden hair, their features are soft and stern all at once. 

“We weren’t...what was that?”

**Something not for either of you. Do not interfere with Gaia’s plans for you both.**

Something akin to anger curls in Cloud’s chest, and he sits up properly, facing the being. “We didn’t  _ ask _ for any of what happened. Not me, least of all  _ Vincent _ . Give him this. Please.”

**Your fates have already been decided.**

Glancing up, he sees Vincent’s features, stoic and expressionless. But the wetness in his eyes shatters a part of Cloud and he stands up, hand coming to rest on top of Vincent’s head.

“Give us this. We’ve already saved the planet more than  _ once _ . Surely we deserve some kinda break.” 

**Your fates are decided. Not all sins are so easily atoned for.**

“That’s  _ bullshit _ . He’s  _ atoned. _ He’s moved  _ on _ . He has to live with what happened, and when will that be enough for...whatever the fuck is responsible?” 

**It is not for you to decide.**

“Cloud, stop. They’re right. We don’t decide these things.” He glances down, sees Vincent’s eyes peering up at him, without that odd glow and they’re  _ clear _ but Cloud - he can’t. He can’t just give up like this. 

“I won’t. This is…”

**An anomaly. The Planet needs you both.**

“Give us more time. Please.” Like that would change anything, and he feels the hair under his hand shift and move through his fingertips as Vincent gets to his feet. 

“Cloud. This wasn’t meant to happen. It’s...not my fate.”

“You can’t just give up like that. You  _ can’t _ . It isn’t  _ fair _ .”

Vincent chuckles, lacking any real mirth. “Nothing is fair for us. The only fair thing in your life was ripped away from you.”

There’s no arguing with Vincent once he’s made his mind up, and Cloud can only watch as he approaches the being, and that same glow floods the caves once more. 

This time, Cloud wakes up outside, laying on the cloak. Vincent is wearing his gauntlet once more, but his bodysuit is still undone. Cloud can see the scars tracing his chest, along his neck, even in the fading sunlight and a part of him aches for what could have been. He turns, looks down at Cloud with a faint smile.  “Perhaps we could try. I had hoped your feelings would fade over time, but…” The voice is back to normal, the constant strain and drag over words, and Cloud sits up, bringing his knees to his chest. Vincent just watches him, and he knows it’s a fool’s wish. He knows Vincent will struggle with the guilt, of the minute differences between them. 

“Could we? At least try?”

“Could you ever forget the sound of my heartbeat?”

They lapse into silence, both turning to gaze at the waves lapping at the shore. Cloud doesn’t -  _ can’t _ \- answer the question. And Vincent knows he won’t.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on twitter - takenbynumbers


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